Pencil Speaks and other weekend videos

Pencil has decided to try communicating with the world. If you listen closely you can hear "Hi", "Cheese", and "Da-yee" (daddy).






Sock's crazy eyebrows

Thankful Weekend

We have enjoyed a delightful Holiday weekend.
Thanksgiving was celebrated on Friday, because the Emergency Room sleeps for no one. But the food turned out VERY tasty, and the family was SO good to be with. On Friday we also invited our neighbors over for pie. It was fun to get to know them a little better. (They have a little boy in the other first-grade class at Grapes's school)

My kids were also very creative this weekend.
We had a giant fort in the family room. It was made of every chair (indoor and outdoor, of course) and every pillow or blanket within reach. It also surrounded the computer for the ultimate convenience.















After the fort became old news, we played Play-dough.















Grapes and Sock made an under the Sea scene.

Things to be Thankful For

Yesterday Grapes's Class had a "Pilgrim Party" to celebrate Thanksgiving. I was lucky enough to be able to go volunteer my help because the Doctor had the morning off and He could stay with our boys. I'm glad I was able to go, because the two other parent volunteers had called in sick that morning, so I was the only one there to Help. We made homemade candles and soup and Johnnycakes, and ate a feast together. SO cute, and SO fun to be back in a classroom again.















Grapes LOVED being dressed up in 'authentic' garb. Yay for cheap fabric at Walmart.



















This is Pencil Enjoying Breakfast yesterday. I do not understand his new found love of Q-Tips... but I am learning how to better hide them.



















We also decided that instead of Turkey this year, we'll just have monkey.

He Loves opening and climbing into the drawer below my Oven. He thinks he's SO funny when he gets in there.











Lest you think I forgot my other baby, here are a few funny faces, A-La-Sock:

Hook and Haircuts

We have begun to have some of the most random, and entertaining conversations at our house. It stems, mostly, from having kids that are finally old enough to participate in an actual conversation....
A few nights ago at dinner we were discussing the imaginary food fight from the movie 'Hook.' (Bang-a-rang!) Grapes and Sock have not seen it, but as the doctor and I explained the basic story line, they got very excited to see it. UNTIL we mentioned that grown-up Peter Pan is married to Wendy. (that's how they have kids to get kidnapped by mean old Captain Hook.)
Sockie was immediately disgusted.
"What?!" he shouted "Married?! Ewww!"
This is a recreation of his immensely funny face. (not as good as the original, but we'll take what we can get)














This is Grapes's Captain Hook face.













I also worked up my nerves to cut the boys hair. I've been very hesitant (read: stubborn) about cutting hair for the boys in my life, because I don't want anyone turning out looking bushwhacked and then blaming me. So, we've spent more money on haircuts than I care to think about. But.... no more ?
I decided that Pencil and Sock won't hate me if they look terrible, so I might as well give it a try and see what I can learn.
I learned that I still have a lot to learn.




He looks cute anyway, so that's what really counts.

Pencil, Fence, Spenito Juarez

My baby is ONE! This little man has grown up so quickly. I remember so well the crazy night that he came into this world. (A labor completely unlike my others. The doctor was out of town, my dear friend Erin took my kids and sweet sister-in-law Megan held my hand. My actual doctor tried to help slow things down, but Pencil was determined to get outta there. There was a scary moment when we learned that his placenta had big fat VEINS in addition to the umbilical cord-- NOT normal and potentially very dangerous-- but he was just fine. And he was perfect-- an Apgar of 9 right off the bat.)

He's walking and babble-talking like no body's business now. In fact, some of his birthday pictures are out of focus because he would walk straight for the camera and smile every time I tried to take a picture.



He opened presents (with a lot of help) and ran around as happy as can be.





We attempted Jell-o cake. A tradition for our kids at 1, but this mom started too late and we didn't have time for the jello. sad day. Instead he got regular cake and frosting. He didn't seem to mind, so I hope I'm forgiven.

Procrastination... thy name is tramp.

When we first moved to Arizona we stayed a few days with my Aunt while the paperwork for our house was getting worked out. She loves to go yard-sale-ing, and when I went with her I found a delightful bookcase and a trampoline.(all for $50)
Fast forward about five months.... we just set said trampoline up in our back yard.

Obviously, the kids are enjoying it. Grapes could barely wait for us to get all the springs attached. She's in love. Sockie isn't much for actually jumping yet, but he loves to play spiderman on the big 'web.' I'm a bit worried about injuries though (I remember jumping with my cousins all too well...) so our next job is to find a net/fence for it.











































I also caught the sweetest moment a few mornings ago. All three kids were on Grapes's bed reading stories to each other. SO cute.

A New Name

I don't know if you've noticed how so many blogs have a clever title... you know the ones that play on the family's last name or where they live.... Well. I have been unable to come up with one. Thankfully, the doctor is brilliant enough to cover for me. We're taking the new "Just Whiting on the Blog" for a spin to see how it fits.

Park Place

We went on a family outing to the cactus park today. Who knew that so many cacti existed? Or that they could be so fun?
We drove the scenic loop- and stopped for a few mini-hikes. The kids loved exploring the rocks and climbing between the bushes and spines.








My favorite parts:
*Grapes spouting random 'facts' about cacti while we drove and explored. Did you know it takes 10 years for the saguaro cactus to grow the first 4 inches? (ok-sure) Did you know each arm takes another 10 years to grow? (possibly) Did you know that the oldest one is 400 years old because when they turn 401 they just die. (really?)
*Sockie having his eyes closed or hand up in EVERY picture.













*Pencil being so happy to be carted abound while we hiked and walked.
*The doctor packed our lunch, and it was so nice to just sit at the picnic area and talk while we munched on peanut butter sammies.
*Pencil also got hold of a granola bar, and he was so hungry he just chewed it open and helped himself.


It was truly a delight of a trip- and only 15 minutes from home.